Foot operated foot massager

ABSTRACT

A hollow housing has mounted to the inside top an electric vibrator motor. The base of the housing is supported by a resilient floor contacting member which permits downward movement of the housing when the top is pressed by a foot. An electric switch is positioned to start the vibrator motor when the housing is depressed by foot contact. Selective heating means for the top surface is included.

1451 Aug. 20, 1974 FOOT OPERATED FOOT MASSAGER [75] Inventor: Samuel L. McNair, Overland Park,

Kans.

[73] Assignee: Dazey Products Company, Kansa City, Mo.

221 Filed: Feb. 9, 1913 211 App]. No.2 331,243

2,234,770 3/1941 Meyer 128/25 B 2,902,993 9/1959 Wagner 128/25 B 3,043,294 7/1962 Neff l28/25 B Primary Examiner-Lawrence W. Trapp Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lowe, Kokjer, Kircher, Wharton & Bowman 1 ABSTRACT A hollow housing has mountedto the inside top an 2% 128/33 128/25 electric vibrator motorfThe'base of the housing is [58% Fn id .....l28/32 36 Supported by a resilient floor contacting member 0 can 24 2 5 which permits downward movement of the housing l when the top is pressed by a foot. An electric switch is 56 R f Q d positioned to start the vibrator motor when the houseerences e ing is depressed by foot contact. Selective heating UNITED STATES PATENTS means for the top surface is included. 2,067,979 1/1937 Newton 1 28/25 B 2,096,646 10 1937 Thornton-Norris 128/25 B 3 Claims, 5 Drawing Flgllles 3o 28 a7 e 13 36 2e Z4 Z5 31 Z2 I 11 n i H l o 15 I I I6 1 f- FOOT OPERATED FOOT MASSAGER BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Appliances for accommodating the sole of the foot and thereby applying vibratory massage to the foot or feet have been known for a long time. However, they have, for the most part, been rather cumbersome, expensive and inconvenient to use.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a simple, lightweight foot massager which lends itself particularly to domestic use with a minimum of expense and difficulty of operation. Another and related object is to provide a foot massager in which the operational control, i.e., starting and stopping, need not require manual operation of switches, rheostats and the like. In my invention, the simple placing of the foot in position on the massager and applica- By the same token, upon release of the pressure, the

massager will stop.

A further object of the invention is to provide a massager of the character described, in which massage can selectively be accompanied by application of heat to the foot sole and whereby control of heat on or heat off can be by the foot also.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a foot massager of the character described, a simple and effective vibrator assembly which produces vibrations of substantial amplitude at low cost and energy requirements.

Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto will appear in the course of the following description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a foot massager embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of same on a somewhat enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view with portions of the bottom closure broken away to reveal inside structure; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic showing the electrical circuitry for the unit.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral indicates generally a hollow casing, preferably molded of a good quality plastic such as Norel or Lexan. It has a top surface providing two foot-receiving sections which are contoured generally to accord with the sole of the human foot. A console or divider portion 12 is located between the sole-receiving sections. The console includes an indicator lamp 13 and a twoposition switch 14 which controls the energization of the heating means later tobe described.

The casing 10 has an open bottom which, as can be best seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, is filled by a closure plate 15. Plate 15 is a thin, preferably metallic plate, and is secured to the casing 10 by a plurality of screws 16 which are received in corresponding bosses l7 molded into and projecting inwardly from the lower edge of the casing.

The bottom plate 15 has secured to it four support pads 18, which are located near the corners. These pads are preferably rubber or other resiliently flexible material.

Also attached to the bottom plate 15, toward the forward portion thereof, is a floor contacting member 19 which is in the nature of a relatively strong leaf spring, having one end anchored to the bottom plate as at 20. The other end of spring 19 has a T-like crosshead 19a, with rubber or felt pads 21 at the outer tips. The configuration of the floor contacting member 19 is such that in the normal position of the unit, that is without any feet applied to it, the front pad 18 will be supported off the floor, with the entire support for the front of the unit being applied by the floor contacting member 19. The normal position is that illustrated in FIG. 3, and the relationship of the floor contacting member 19 with the base when the unit is not is use is shown by the broken line position of FIG. 2.

The floor contacting member coacts with the plunger of a plunger-type electric switch 22, which is affixed to the bottom plate 15. The switch is of the type when the plunger is up, the switch is on and when it is down, it is off.

Turning now to the inside of the casing, the vibrator motor 23 is supported near the inside top. The motor is an electric motor, having the rotary driven shaft 24. The shaft 24 has mounted at its outer ends eccentric portions 25, which serve to unbalance the shaft. The shaft also carries a fan portion 26, which operates to drive cooling air over the motor when in use.

The motor is supported from an elongate bar or strap 27, which is supported at its ends by screws extending down through the top. The screws extend through rubber shock absorbers or mounting grommets 28 and 29. The rear screw is directly connected with the bar member 27; however, the front screw passes loosely through an aperture in the bar where it receives a nut 30. The forward portion of the bar 27 is thus free to move slightly up and down on the forward screw, with the rubber grommet serving to resiliently relieve the reversals of direction of movement.

Heating elements in the form of electric resistance members incorporated in a thin fabric are shown at 31. These are adhered by appropriate adhesives to the underside of the sole-receiving sections 11 of the casing. They are interconnected in the electric circuitry as shown in FIG. 5.

In operation, the electric cord to the unit is connected by the wall plug 33 to an appropriate wall outlet. The unit is now ready for operation. The user simply places one or both feet on the foot-receiving sections 11 and presses downward. As pressure is applied, the forward portion of the casing will descend toward the floor against the resilient resistance of the floor contacting member 19. When it has moved almost into contact with the floor, the plunger switch 22 will close the circuit to the motor, thus starting rotation of the motor. The rotation of the motor is obviously accompanied by substantial vibration, since the eccentrics 25 serve to unbalance the output shaft 24 of the motor. The vibration is transmitted through bar 27 and through the connections with the casing to the casing itself, which vibrates in a very pronounced fashion.

If heat is desired in addition to massage, the toe can be used to move switch 14, thus to close the circuit to the heating elements 31, which will provide a radiant heat effect to the feet. The unit can be shut off completely (including the heating means) by simply relieving the foot pressure on it; whereupon the floor contacting member will cause the unit to rise sufficiently to again open the plunger switch 22 and de-energize the circuit.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a foot massager, the combination of a foot rest member, said foot rest member formed as a housing with a base and a top surface for engagement by the sole of the foot,

an electrically powered vibrator assembly mounted inside said housing and operable to create vibration of said top surface,

a floor contacting member mounted to the base of said foot rest member and supporting said foot rest member with at least a portion of said base spaced from the floor while another portion of the base contacts the floor, and

electric switch means carried by said foot rest memher and having a switch operating member for engagement with the floor on depression of said first portion of said base toward the floor and operable thereby to energize said vibrator assembly.

2. The combiation as in claim 1,

said base of said housing forming a bottom closure for the housing,

said floor contacting member comprising a leaf spring having one end secured to said base member with the other ends spaced from said base member and providing surfaces for floor contact.

3. The combination as in claim 1, in which said switch means is a plunger-type switch, said plunger comprising the operating member. i 

1. In a foot massager, the combination of a foot rest member, said foot rest member formed as a housing with a base and a top surface for engagement by the sole of the foot, an electrically powered vibrator assembly mounted inside said housing and operable to create vibration of said top surface, a floor contacting member mounted to the base of said foot rest member and supporting said foot rest member with at least a portion of said base spaced from the floor while another portion of the base contacts the floor, and electric switch means carried by said foot rest member and having a switch operating member for engagement with the floor on depression of said first portion of said base toward the floor and operable thereby to energize said vibrator assembly.
 2. The combiation as in claim 1, said base of said housing forming a bottom closure for the housing, said floor contacting member comprising a leaf spring having one end secured to said base member with the other ends spaced from said base member and providing surfaces for floor contact.
 3. The combination as in claim 1, in which said switch means is a plunger-type switch, said plunger comprising the operating member. 